Amos barnes



(No Model.)

A. BARNES.

SEMAPHORE SIGNALING APPARATUS.

No. 385,227. A Patented June 26. 1888'.

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Unwrap Sra'ras Parent Orrica AMOS BARNES, OF PONTIAC, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOROF ONEHALF TO ROBERT LE BARON, OF SAME PLACE.

SEMAPHORE SIGNALING APPARATUS.

:JPEOIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,227, dated June26, 1888.

Application filed December 7, 1887. Serial No.257235. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMOS BARNES, a citizen ofthe United States, residingatPontiac,county of Oakland, State of Michigan, have invented a certainnew and useful Improvement in Semaphore Signaling Apparatus; and Ideclare the following who a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists of the combinations of devices and applianceshereinafter specified, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a device embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the switch-standard and itsconnecting mechanism. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the semaphore andits mechanism. Fig. 4t illustrates a variation in the mechanism forconnecting the semaphore signaling apparatus with the switchstandard.

Semaphore signaling apparatus of railroads has been connected by cablesor otherwise to a ratchet-lever or similar mechanism by which thesemaphores may be extended or dropped by the will of theswitch-operator. Thus, when the engineer of a train arriving on the maintrack sees the semaphore arm hanging down, or if it be at night a whitelight upon the semaphore signaling apparatus, he is thus advised thatthe main track is clear and the switch in proper shape to that end. Onthe other hand, it he sees the semaphore-arm ex tended, or if at night ared light upon the semaphore signaling apparatus, he is thus advisedthat the switches are set to run him onto the side track. The system soin use necessarily implies that the switclrtender whose duty it is toadjust the semaphore signaling apparatus has properly attended to hisduties i. e., heis presumed to have adjusted the switch to send thetrain to the main track before he has adjusted the semaphore, and, onthe other hand, when the semaphore is extended it is presumed that theswitch-tender has per formed his proper duty of adjusting the switch tothrow the train to the side track. Everything has depended upon theproper performance of his duty by the switchman.

In the construction herein described I conmeet the semaphore signalingapparatus directly with the switch mechanism, so that the operation ofthrowing the switch simultaneously adjusts the scmaphorc-signalthat isto say, it the switchman adjusts the switch so as to throw theapproaching train to the side track, the very operation of thusadjusting the switch has simultaneously adjusted the semaphore, and viceversa.

In carrying out my invention, A represents the post or upright of asemaphore signaling apparatus.

A is the semaphore-arm. A is its signallight.

The semaphore'arm is pivoted at a, and a pitman or connectingrod, a,leads down to and is engaged with a lever, B, which is pivoted at]; tothe post, and this lever B has a weight, B, permanent or adjustable. Iprefer that itbe adjustable, so as to graduate its action to correspondwith the weight of the semaphore-arm or the resistance of the cable.

a is a connecting-arm, which leads from the rod a to a bell-crank, a",at the base of the lamp standard A, so that as the rod a is thrust upward it will drop the semaphore, and the arm a will rotate thelampstandard so as to present its white light to an approaching train,and when the rod to is drawn downward it will throw the semaphore-arminto hori zontal position, and at the same time, through the connectiona, rotate the lampstandard so as to present its colored light to anapproaching train.

At thelower end of the lever B is connected a cable, 0, in the usualway, passing along supports 0 to the switch standard D, the condition ofwhich switch mechanism is designed to be indicated by the semaphore signaling apparatus. This switch mechanism may be of any ordinary type-as,for instance, with a central standard, 0', which rotates as theswitchrails are shifted. Upon this standard is fixed a disk or lever, O,to one end of which the cable 0, which leads from one of the semaphores,is attached, and if there be a semaphore-signal upon the opposite sideof IOC the switch its cable may be attached, as shown in Fig. 1, to theother end of the same disk or lever. It is apparent that by the use ofthis mechanism "the switch, being directly con nected with the semaphoresignaling apparatus, cannotbe operated with out simultaneously throwingthe semaphore signaling apparatus into its relative position.

By the use of my device, when the engineer of an approaching train seesthe extended arm or the red light on the semaphore, he knows absolutelythat the switch is sctto throw him upon the side track, and after thetrain has passed from the side track the fact that the semaphore-arm isstill extended indicates conclusively that the switch-tender has not yetclosed the switch. The semaphore is therefore not only a positive guideto the engineer, but a positive cheek upon any carelessness or oversightupon the part of the switch-tender. The semaphore-arm and light-standardbeing connected by metallic rods c a with the lever B, their movementsare rendered certain and positive, and there is no liability of theiroperation being impaired or choked by snow or sleet.

The cables 0 may of course be provided in the usual man.ner withturn-buckles or other appliances for adjusting the length of the cablethrough limited distances to compensate for expansion or contraction,and so enable the operator to adjust its length to produce a normalaction of the semaphore-signals by the throwing of his switch mechanism.

WVhat I claim is- 1. The combination, with post A, having arm A pivotedthereto to swing up and down, and the upright shaft A carrying light Aand pivoted thereto to turn, of the rod a, connccted with arm A, crank(6*, connected to lower end of shaft A, rod a, joining rod a and crank aand the pivoted lever B, provided with the adjustable weight B, andhaving rod a connected to it, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

2. The combination, with the post A and rod a, adapted to rise and fall,of the upright shaft A connected with the post to revolve, and the armA, connected therewith to rise and fall, and both of said partsconnected with AMOS BARNES.

\Vitnesscs:

M. B. ODoGHER'rY, SAMUEL E. THOMAS.

